A big bear!

[contender]

Locally, (and I do mean within an hour or so of me,) a black bear was killed AND registered officially.
What makes it big?

Well, it was killed in Haywood County NC, on 10/18/22. It officially weighed 695 lbs. Breaking the previous record, held for 30 years of 688 lbs.
They did not say if that was "live weight" or dressed.

And folks wonder why I carry a big bore SA a lot when woods tromping.

We just got a copy of the story off another website, with a picture. I'm trying to get it sent to me so I can post the picture. I'm computer stupid,, so if I don't succeed,, maybe someone else can find it.

The story can be found at wlos.com

 

[KIR]

Lucky it wasn't a cocaine bear! 😅🥵👹☠️

 

[Mobuck]

Dogs or other method? That big boy likely wouldn't run very far before making a stand.

 

[contender]

Dog hunting,,, and a hunting party. However,, the guy who made the shot got to claim the record. From what I could tell, two guys got to the bear about the same time.

The story didn't say if it was treed or not.

But don't let his size fool you. We have steep mountains, rough brush, and hard conditions to hunt. Just because dogs are used, does not make it easy. I've followed a few bears with dogs on them & had to go to my hands & knees to get through the brush, on a steep hillside. Plus,, a bear this size often will stand & fight. That means injured or killed dogs. the guy who works for me was on a hunt with his club, and they had a big one that they got. But not before it killed on dog,, and injured another one so bad it had to be put down. So when dogs get on a bear,, you hope it'll tree, and then you try & get there as quickly as you can.

 

[GRAMPS 51]

WOW thats a WHOPPER for sure the biggest i ever got was a little less than half that weight
Gramps

 

[tazbigdog]

Wonder what he was eating?

 

[beentheredone]

For any bear that's a big 'un; for a mountain bear it's a monster!

 

[arfmel]

“Wonder what he was eating?”

Whatever he wanted

 

[WendyZXZ]

Wonder what he was eating?

I would guess whatever he found in the pic-a-nic basket!

 

[JiminMaine]

“Wonder what he was eating?”

Whatever he wanted

Anything he wanted.

 

[contender]

NC is known across the Country for having big bears. We get bears topping 500 lbs on a regular basis. I know of one killed a few years ago that dressed 585 lbs. It was taken less than 6 miles from my house. And one of the ones my helper's party killed was over 500 lbs this year. (That one mentioned above.)

But I will say that Wendy's comment made me laugh out loud.

Our bears get a pretty good smorgasbord of good food annually. We have lots of acorns, wild grapes & berries, & all kinds of "fattening" foods for them.

A few years back, I was on the phone with a western outfitter about hunting with them. He mentioned a "trophy" bear fee if I got a bear tag. I asked him what was a trophy? He said; "200 lbs or more." I chuckled & said; Around here,, a 200 lb bear is considered very small. I mentioned I was in NC,, and he said; "Oh crap."
I was in a group this past season where we had treed 3 bears. All were 150-200 lb bears. I was offered a chance at one, (as I haven't killed any bears yet,) but I passed. We did have one young man (teenager) who wanted a bear, so he killed one. We let the other 2 go.

Many of our "average" bears weigh 300+ lbs.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

“Wonder what he was eating?”

Whatever he wanted

Yankee Tourist

 

[Fox Mike]

That is one humongous critter!